1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shock absorbing structure for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Invention
In general, when the vehicle collides through its front side, its body frames are supported to deform by absorbing crash energy. Such crushing of the vehicle body is sometimes accompanied with a backward deformation of a foot panel under the front passenger""s foot (or feet). The magnitude of deformation depends on the crash severity. Therefore, there is a structure for absorbing the shock to the foot (or feet) during a high-speed crash in Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-164782. In the shock absorbing structure of this kind, a foot rest for placing the passenger""s foot is made of material which is greatly compressible back and forth by the shock. Thus, at the vehicle collision, this foot rest is deformed so as to absorb an impact on the passenger""s foot back.
However, since the above-mentioned shock absorbing structure is constructed so as to absorb the impact within the limits of thickness of a structure body constituting the foot rest, there is a limit in its shock absorbing ability. Therefore, if the foot panel is excessively deformed at the vehicle""s collision, there is a possibility of insufficient absorption of impact with the result of the limit of deformation in the foot rest.
Under such a circumstance, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automotive shock absorbing structure for a vehicle, which is capable of sufficiently absorbing an impact on the passenger""s foot (or feet) due to the deformation of the foot panel.
According to the invention, the above-mentioned object is accomplished by a shock absorbing structure for a vehicle, comprising:
a foot panel arranged in the vicinity of a foot of a passenger seating on a front seat of the vehicle, the foot panel forming a part of vehicled body;
a bag arranged adjacent to the foot panel;
a transmitter for transmitting a signal corresponding to a deformation of the dash panel;
wherein the bag expands, toward said foot of said passenger, corresponding to said signal to moderate an impact on the foot.